REPORT: Mansfield Town 0-1 Grimsby Town

OMAR Bogle’s penalty gave Grimsby Town a second away win of the season and a first clean sheet on the road as they beat Mansfield Town at the One Call Stadium.

The Mariners, backed by more than 1,500 travelling fans in Nottinghamshire, were the better side for much of the contest and despite creating few clear-cut chances, deserved their win.

The only goal came on 17 minutes, when Bogle was brought down in the penalty area and got up to score from the spot.

The hosts did much of the attacking after that but rarely threatened the Grimsby goal as the visitors comfortably saw out the game to secure all three points.

Two changes were made to the Town side for this lunchtime kick-off after last week’s home defeat by Crewe Alexandra, with Danny Collins coming for his debut in place of Josh Gowling and Kayden Jackson replacing Shaun Tuton.

James McKeown started in goal, with Ben Davies, Shaun Pearson, Collins and Danny Andrew forming the defence.

Ashley Chambers, Brandon Comley, Luke Summerfield and Dominic Vose were the midfielders, with Jackson selected to partner Bogle in attack.

Tuton dropped to the bench, where he was joined by Dean Henderson, Craig Disley, James Berrett, Tom Bolarinwa, Andrew Boyce and Scott Vernon.

Mansfield’s main threats were likely to come from striker Matt Green, while former Mariner Pat Hoban was named among the Stags’ substitutes.

The game kicked off in windy conditions and an early foul on Jackson just inside the Mansfield half gave Town a first opportunity to attack but the ball into the box from Davies failed to find a man in black and white.

The home side’s first attack saw Mitchell Rose push the ball through for Green but his shot was blocked by Davies.

Danny Rose then tried to curl a shot into the top corner from the edge of the box on six minutes but the ball was beaten away by McKeown, before left-back Mal Benning fired wide from 20 yards.

The home side had started strongly and Green was twice blocked before Vose made an interception after the game’s first corner was played low to the edge of the penalty area.

Town finally got the opportunity to get the ball into the danger zone at the other end when Bogle was fouled on the right. Davies played the free kick to Pearson at the far post but the centre-back’s header was off-target.

Another foul on Bogle on 14 minutes gave Davies a further opportunity to put the ball into the box from the right but this time, his delivery was cleared.

At the other end, a quick break released Danny Rose down the right but his low cross was cut out for a corner. From the flag, the ball was headed goalwards but cleared off the line.

On 17 minutes, the Mariners went on the attack and after Bogle was brought down inside the Mansfield penalty area, referee Geoff Eltringham pointed to the spot. After Krystian Pearce was booked for dissent, BOGLE dusted himself down and beat keeper Scott Shearer from 12 yards to open the scoring.

The hosts looked to hit back when Green broke down the left, although McKeown was equal to his low shot after he cut into the box, pushing it out for a corner, which was cleared.

Green had another chance on 21 minutes but again, he failed to make it count as his powerful drive from 18 yards flew wide.

A Mansfield free kick from the left two minutes later was sent into the box by Kevan Hurst but dealt with by the Town defence, with a home handball then allowing McKeown to get the ball away.

Jackson benefited from a ricochet to take the ball forward before cutting inside and looking for Bogle and after the ball broke for Summerfield, his 25-yard shot deflected wide off Bogle.

Town had looked impressive with the ball but were in danger of being caught out at the back as the home side looked to send Green clear behind the Mariners defence.

But the Grimsby defenders had dealt with everything that had been thrown at them so far, with a Hurst cross being headed away by Pearson as the latest Mansfield attack was repelled.

A foul on Vose at the other end gave Town a free kick in a central position, although after it was played to Jackson, the Barnsley loanee could not turn it into a goalscoring opportunity.

An attempted cross from the home right was cut out for a corner by Collins but again, the flag-kick was comfortably cleared.

Danny Rose hit a weak shot well wide of McKeown’s target four minutes before the break, before Benning had to beat Jackson to the ball after it had been hit forward out of defence by Collins.

Davies conceded a corner after a low cross from Gobern and Hurst’s delivery was headed behind for another one on the opposite side. This time, Pearce sent a header wide for a goal kick.

One added minute was played at the end of the half and with no further chances created by either side before the half-time whistle, Bogle’s penalty remained the difference between the two at the interval.

No changes were made before the restart and Mansfield won an early corner when McKeown carried the ball out after catching a cross from Hurst on the right.

The kick was cleared but another Mansfield attack was not long in coming and after a cross from Benning, Green headed wide at the far post.

Davies won Town’s first corner on 49 minutes but Vose’s delivery was headed clear.

Jackson won another corner four minutes later on the opposite flank and this time, Collins got to the ball first at the far post but it was cleared after he had headed it down.

CJ Hamilton replaced Gobern on 57 minutes as the hosts made the first substitution of the game.

Soon afterwards, Chambers looked to have his shirt pulled as he went through the middle but he stayed on his feet and took the ball on but could not apply the finish.

Bogle then created another chance when he played the ball through for Jackson but he too was unable to take advantage.

Hoban was sent on in place of Danny Rose for the hosts on the hour, with the Mariners looking the more likely to get the next goal.

Hurst won a corner for Mansfield soon afterwards, from which Pearce headed tamely wide.

The third and final home change came after that, with Chris Clements coming on for centre-back Alex Iacovitti.

Jackson was replaced by Tuton in Town’s first substitution as the clock ticked towards the 70-minute mark.

Chambers was booked for a foul on Benning but the resulting free kick came to nothing as Hurst’s ball was headed on by Pearce before being cleared.

Another Hurst cross was headed at McKeown by Mitchell Rose, before Davies had to clear for a throw-in after a flick-on by Hoban.

Tuton won a corner after breaking down the left and shooting from the edge of the box on 77 minutes, with Pearson heading just wide of the far post from the flag-kick.

A corner then came at the other end when Hurst’s cross was blocked by Chambers but after Hurst’s delivery was headed back across goal by Lee Collins, the whistle went for a high foot on Davies and a Town free kick was the result.

McKeown claimed a cross from Hamilton as the hosts kept attacking in search of an equaliser, although up to now, it had been a comfortable second half for the Grimsby goalkeeper and defence.

Pearson did well to head clear after Hurst had picked up a loose ball and crossed from the right with two minutes to go, before the ball was returned into the box and headed straight at McKeown.

Rose then saw a shot deflected away for a corner, which led to the ball bouncing around in the box until a handball decision in Grimsby’s favour relieved the pressure.

Bogle was withdrawn to a standing ovation from the 1,535 travelling Town fans and replaced by Vernon as the game moved into four minutes of added time.

A foul on Vose brought a free kick which led to Vernon holding the ball up near the corner flag until it was eventually won and cleared by the hosts.

Mansfield kept looking for a leveller but it was not to come and there were big celebrations in the away end at the final whistle, with Town collecting the three points.

The Mariners are next in action on Tuesday, when Newport County are the visitors to Blundell Park.